Bolster springing and snubbing means



p 0, 1955 w. T. ROSSELL 2,718,196

BOLSTER SPRINGING AND SNUBBING MEANS Filed March 10, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet1 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY Sept. 20, 1955 Y w, T, ROSSELL 2,718,196

BOLSTER SPRINGING AND SNUBBING MEANS Filed March 10, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet2 EIE-a- E INVENTOR. /4 ///4/V 7. flflasflz,

A TTOR/VEY p 0, 1955 w. T. ROSSELL 2,718,196

BOLSTER SPRINGING AND SNUBBING MEANS Filed March 10, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet3 TIE-.21 E

W/ZZ/AM 7: RUSSFZL ,4 770 R/VE y ivith respect to the bolster.

United States Patent )fiice 2,7 18,196 Patented Sept. 20, 1955 Thisinvention relates to rail trucks of the type equipped with a bolstermounted on springs for vertical arid lateral movements with respect tothe main frame of the truck and has for its object to provide animproved aging system for the bolster by which the bolster will beentirely free of 'snubbihg friction in its central position but'whieh-"will be snubbed in response to lateral swinging movements of thebolster in proportion to the amount or degree of such movements.

Basically, a sprung bolster is supported for relative vertical movementswith respect to its truck frame and for lateral movements relativethereto in a plane normal to the frame side rails. Where snubbers areprovided they are carried by the side rails or by transoms and contactof the bolster with the snubbers usually depends entirely onacceleration or deceleration of the truck frame The snubbing action may,therefore, not be available at all times when needed, as it is obviousthat lateral reactions of the truck frame with respect to the body oftenoccur at times when there is ho such relative acceleration. As asolution to the above problem hydraulioshock absorbers, or springsuspensions of 'a type to throw the bolster against a snubber inresponse to vertical loading have been proposed. The aisaavantsgeeithese solutions is that resistance to any movement of the bolster isthen provided so that imiiierous vibrations are passed froi'nthe truckto the car 563$ at all til'fls While the body is moving.

Further, the hydraulic shock absorbers offer resistance in proporhastethe'speed of movement of the bolster whereas it is d cidedly preferablefor the de ree of damping t0 asp; a upon the ainplitudeef the movementthereof.

object of this invention is to rovide a snubbing a'i'rangeiiieiit suchthat the bolster is free of all snubbing rename-e in its central or nearcentral position, thus e1 Lingthe eonstahttransfer of small vibrationsto the b y; but which increases its effect with increased By thuscausing snubbi'ng ac-- swing ng of the bolster. cording to the positionof the bolster the bolster suptie "ing springs may be made softer in alateral direction.

" "Moipar ifcularly it is an object or this invention to stores a'springing means for supporting each end of a 5615115! that the bolstermy swin between gui diiig frictional surfaces and to so construct andarrange the means and the frictional surfaces that the v s freely at ornear itscenter position but ch is de ected' by the springing means inresponse to swinging so f'that' its pressure against the frictionalsurnest will ihei'as'e as the swingin movement increases.

Another way of explaining the response is to say that the springingmeans reacts angularly to the force of the erally thereof representingthe springing. In order for this requirement to be true it is seen thatthe reaction the king pin center in the same direction thus biasing thebolster against diagonally opposite friction surfaces (or snubbing pads)but this is not essential since, in one form of the invention, the endsof the bolster tend to rotate horizontally in opposite direction inresponse to bolster swinging movements thus deflecting the bolsteragainstfrictional surfaces on the same side thereof.

Another object of the invention is to teach the adaptation of theinvention to a wide variety of operating requirements so that it will beobvious that it may be applied to various services operating at variousspeeds and under various track conditions so that riding comfort may bevaried with the desires and ideas of the operator.

Other objects and advantages will become hereinafter more fully apparentas reference is had to the accompanying drawings wherein my invention isillustrated and in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a rail truckequipped with my invention, the left end of the bolster being omittedfor purposes of explanation,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the truck of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the lines 3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the upper spring cap of the spring ofFigure 3,

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the lower spring cap of the spring ofFigure 3,

Figure 6 is a top elevation of a modified form of bolster,

Figures 7 and 8 are vertical sections taken along the lines 77 and 8-8respectively of Figure 6 showing the bolster spring assemblies and theirsupports,

Figures 9, 12, 15 and 20 are top elevations of the same type bolster asshown in Figure 6, 1

Figures 10 and 11 are vertical sections taken along the lines 10--10 and11'11 respectively, of Figure 9 showing modifications of the springassemblies which support the bolster,

Figures 13 and 14 are vertical sections taken along the lines 1313 and14-14 of Figure 12 showing other modifications of the spring assemblies,

Figures 16 and 17 are vertical sections taken along the lines 16-16 and17'17 respectively, of Figure 15,

Figure 18 is a top elevation of a bolster similar to that of Figure 1,

Figure 19 is a vertical section taken along the line 19'19 of Figure 18showing an adjustment of the spring assemblies to a position differentfrom that shown in Figures 1 and 3,

Figures 21 and 22 are vertical sections of the bolster of Figure 20showing spring assemblies as in Figure 6 but with the adjustments of theassemblies difierently positioned.

More particularly, the numeral 1 indicates the wheels of a rail truckhaving main side frames 2. The side frames are each connected to axlehousings 3 which house the axles (not shown) which are mounted in thewheels 1. Cross members 4 connected to both side frames 2 support themain driving motors 5 which are connected to the axles by' propellershafts 6 through gearing contained in the axle housings 3. The truckherein illustrated is a street car truck but the invention is notlimited to selfpropelled trucks and may find wide application to trailertrucks of various types.

The bolster 7 has the usual center bearing 8a'and is supported at eachend by spring assemblies best seen in Figure 3 and as will behereinafter described. The bolster is capable of vertical and lateralswinging movements and is guided in its lateral swinging movements byblocks of rubber 8 positioned fore and aft of each end of the bolsterand carried by brackets 9. These rubber blocks 8 with the adjacentsurfaces of the bolster provide rubber to metal friction when thebolster is in contact with the blocks 8. Even if the blocks 8 wereadjusted for continuous contact with the bolster this condition wouldnot hold true after slight wear so that the normal condition is for theblocks to have slight clearance with the ends of the bolster. Accordingto this arrangement the bolster thus swings freely between the blocksbut in the event of relative movement of the bolster with respect to thetruck frame in the direction of travel of the truck the blocks act assnubbers for bolster swinging movements.

This same or an equivalent arrangement of frictional snubbing surfacesfore and aft of each end of the bolster is contemplated with each of themodifications shown in Figures 6 to 22 inclusive.

The spring assembly of Figure 3 is composed of a nest of springscomposed of a large coil spring 10, a smaller coil spring 11 and arubber spring 12 all of which have a common spring cap 13 over the topthereof and a spring cap 14 for the bottom thereof. The upper cap 12 hasa rocker 15 which can rock with respect to the bolster, and the lowercap 14 has a rocker 15 which can rock on the side frame 2. These tworockers are parallel with each other and both are angularly disposedboth with respect to the side frames 2 and the direction of swing of thebolster. The rockers at one side of the truck are angularly disposedwith respect to each other, as shown in Figure 1.

The operation is as follows: since the rockers are angularly disposedwith respect to the side frames they lend stability to the spring nests.During operation of the truck the bolster is free to swing at or nearits central position. As the bolster swings to the right (Figure l) theright springs deflect laterally and the springs tilt in a direction awayfrom the reader thus imparting a counterclockwise torque to the rightend of the bolster. The swinging force of the bolster is thus brokeninto two components one of which represents the lateral springing whilethe other component acts to press the upper end of the bolster incontact with the rubber pad 8 on that side of the bolster. The left handend of the bolster rocks its springs in the direction of the reader andsets up a counterclockwise torque also which forces that end of thebolster in contact with rubber pad 8 on the side of the bolsterdiagonally opposite to the block 8 under pres sure by the right end. Theaction is thus to bias the bolster in its snubbers in acounter-clockwise direction about the king pin bearing. The foregoingwas explanatory of the movement of the bolster to the right (Figure 1).Now suppose that it swings back to its center and continues therepasttoward the left. In that case, the spring assembly at the right end willtilt about its rockers toward the reader and the spring assembly at theleft end thereof will tilt away from the reader. The biasing eifect isthen reversed so that the right end will now have snubbing actionagainst the block 8 nearest the reader and the left end will snubagainst the block 8 away from the reader. The action is thus in aclockwise direction. The pressure of the bolster ends against theirsnubbers, which may be called the biasing effect, will be proportionateto the swinging movement of the bolster, that is, proportionate to thedistance through which the bolster swings and is therefore not relatedto the speed or acceleration of the swinging movement.

Figure 1 illustrates these rockers as being disposed at an angle of theorder of 45 to the center line of the bolster. Figure 3 illustrateshandles 17 on the spring caps 13 and 14. By rotation of the caps theangle of the rockers 15 and 16 with respect to the bolster center linemay be altered. If, for example, the rockers of the spring assembly atthe right end of the bolster are gradually rotated clockwise and thoseat the left end counter-clockwise then the component of the swingingforce causing snubbing will become gradually reduced in favor of theother or springing component. In other words, the biasing effect will bethus reduced. On the other hand, if the rockers are oppositely rotatedthe snubbing elfect will be increased. Other effects may be obtained byrotating the rockers of the upper caps out of parallel with the rockersof the lower caps as will be hereinaftermore fully explained.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 illustrate the invention as applied to a bolster 18having two spaced spring assemblies 19 and 20 supporting each endthereof. In this case each spring 21 and 22 of the spring assemblies 19and .20 is provided with an upper spring cap 23, the lower ends of eachspring resting firmly on a side frame 24. The caps 23 are each providedwith rockers 25. The rockers 25 of the spring assemblies at each side ofthe truck are parallel with each other and form an angle of the order of45 with-the truck side frame and the center line of the bolster 18. Therockers at the right end of the bolster are reversely set to those atthe left side. The operation and effect is thus essentially the same asthat explained in connection with Figures 1 to 5. Also the spring capsare each individually rotatable with respect to its spring by means ofthe manual means 26 so that the angularity of the two rockers at eachend of the bolster may be varied with respect to the bolster center lineand the spring cap of one spring assembly may be rotated with respect tothe spring cap of the adjacent assembly, all with the results previouslydescribed. In this connection, it should be noted that the angularity ofa rocker of the cap of a spring 21 at one end of the bolster shouldalways be disposed at an angle similar to the corresponding spring 21 atthe other end of the bolster, and the same requirement applies to thecaps of the other two springs 22. It should also be noted in connectionwith the explanation of Figures 6 to 22 inclusive that, while eachspring assembly is illustrated as having a single coil spring that it iscontemplated that each could be composed of a spring nest of severalsprings, an example of which is illustrated in Figure 3. a

Figure 9 shows the same bolster 18 illustrated in Figure 6 supported ateach end by two spring assemblies 27 and 28. The assemblies 27 areexactly similar to the spring assemblies 19 of Figure 7 and the springassemblies 28 are the same also but with the spring cap omitted. The twospring assemblies on the same side of the longitudinal center line ofthe bolster carry the spring caps 29 and the rockers 30, which, in thisinstance, are illustrated as being normal to the center line of thebolster. The action in this case differs somewhat from that previouslydescribed. The spring assemblies 27 offer small resistance to swingingmotion of the bolster, as compared with the resistance olfered by theassemblies 28. For lateral movements the effect is, thus that theseassemblies 27 act like softer springs hence the right end of the bolsterwill attempt to rotate in a counterclockwise direccan be met.

Figures 15, 16 and 17 illustrate the bolster 18 supported by springassemblies 35 and 36. Assemblies 36 are the same as the assemblies 19 ofFigure 6, the springs thereof having similar spring caps 37 with similarrockers 38. The spring assemblies 35 include upper spring caps 39 havingbuttons 40 instead of the rockers 38. The assemblies 35 thus are freelycapable of universal movement with respect to the bolster so that theydo not restrain the bolster in any particular direction. In this casethe rockers 38 would not be turned parallel to the truckside frames asthere would not be sufficiently stability. Ob; viously, ifdesired, thespring caps 37 can be omitted from the assemblies 36 where the springcaps with buttonsare provided for the assemblies35. v

Figures 18 and 19 show the bolster of Figures 1, ,2 and 3' with similarspring assemblies to those-shown but with the rockers 44 and 45 of thespring caps 41 and 42 turnedat different angles. If both of the rockerswere parallelto the. side frames 43 there would be insufiicientstability but there; is stability as. soon as either one is rotated outof such parallel ,relation. With the small rela tive rotationillustrated, a spring action results that isquite soft laterally and thesnubbing effect is pronounced but not severe. If the rockers 44 arefurther rotated the snubbing action will b'e increased. However',suppose ,thattheangularityof therockers 44 is kept as illustrated and anoppcsiteangularity is gi ven to the roci-ters45.

The sniibbing action will be wholly lost since thecenter line of thebolster will then bisect the angle formed by the rockers. i

. The foregoingexplanations have allbeen based theory that it is best toobtainthe biasing or. snubbing effect by rotatingthe bolster about thecenter of its centerbearing. However, it is not essential that this bedone sinceany relative fore and aft displacement of the boister withrespect to the snubbing surfaces can be made to produce. snubbing. InFigures 20, 21 and 22 the bol; ster 18 iswsupported by the springassemblies 46 and 47 exactly; similar to the spring assemblies 19 and ofFigure 6, These assemblies are provided with rockers 49 and 50. l Therockers are all set at an angle withrespect to the center line of thebolster and at an angle with respect to the truck side frames. Thedifference between the setting of these rockers and those of Figure 6 isthat in this case all four rockers are parallel with each other. Now, asthe bolster swings to the right it' will be bodily displaced toward thefriction blocks on the same side, that is, toward the reader. After itmakesits return it will, swing bodily into pressure-contact withtheblocks on its other side, both away from .thereader. Any ofthe otherforms illustrated can be made to act similarly. While the action will beeffective to snub the-bolster, relative bodily movement of the bolsterentails movement of the car body supported by the bolster with respectto the truck frame. Much more inertia is involved and the action willnot be as smooth as with the other forms which contemplate the angularbiasing effect obtained by rotation of the bolster into pressure contactwith diagonally opposite friction 'pads.

It should now be clear that numerous combinations can be selected fromtheseveral illustrations 'herein described and that greatly improvedcontrol of a bolster can be had to adapt it to a wide variety ofoperating conditions. The .two springs illustrated at each end of. thebolster of certain figures could be made a larger or smaller number andvarious changes and modifications can be made with- .out departing fromthe spirit of my invention. I therefore desire to be extended protectionas defined by the appended claims. I v

What I claim is: 1. In a rail truck, a truck frame including side rails,a bolster, spring assemblies supporting each end of said bolster fromsaid frame, frictional surfaces carried by I said frame; and locatedfore and aft of each end of said bolster limiting the longitudinalmovement thereof with respect to said frame, said bolster when in stableequilibrium being out of pressure contact with said surfaces, saidbolster when swinging causing said springs to deflect, and meansincorporated in said spring assemblies angularly deflecting the. lateralforce imposed thereon by said bolster whereby each end of said bolsteris impelled into pressure contact with one of its adjacent frictionsurfaces, said means including at least one rocking support for each ofsaid assemblies, said rocking support being angu; larly disposed withrespect to the direction of. travel at the truck; v V i 2. In a railtruck,a truck frame having side rails; bolster, spring assembliessupporting each end of said bolster from said side rails, frictionalsurfaces forea'nd aft of each end of said bolster limiting thelongitudinal -movement of said bolster with respect to, said frame",said bolster when in substantially center'position'. being freeofpressure contact with any of said lf'rictio'r' s n:- faces, said bolsterwhen swinging laterally imposinga force onsaid spring assemblies, saidspring assemblies including springs each having a spring cap on atleastone .end thereofl 'said spring caps 'each having a rocker-on itsface femotejfror'n its associated spring angular'ly disposed withrespect to the side rails of said truck franiwhefcby the lateral forceexerted by said bolster on said. sprin s ;is. angularlyfdefle'cted ,bysaid rockers during 'tr'a sion to said springs, said springs empm r'component of said fofce for springing moyem bolster and employing thelongitudinal comp ef to force each end of said bolster into pressurecontact with an adjacent frifc'tionsiiifac'e. I. .In a rail truck,struck frame having side rails and ,a bolster, spring asse'rnbliessupporting each end of said bols'ter fror'n's'aid side rails, frictionsurfaces fore d 'aft ofeacliend of said bolster limiting longitudinal mve- 'ment thereof with respect to said truck frame, said bolsterj'wlieri incentercd position being normally out of J 55- ;su're contactwith said. friction surfaces and having its 1 man plane noir'rialto saidside rails, saidbolsterwheh swinging imposing a force on said springassemblies", said spring assemblies being constructed and arranged toaccept said force through spring caps each having 9. rec r on thesurface thereof exteriorly of the springs of said spring assemblies,said rockers" being .angularly disposed with respect. to said side railswhereby the reaction of said springs tends to rotatejeac'h end of saidbolster with 'a three dependnt upon the amount of the angular'it'ynfsaid rockers and the 'eXtent of the swinging movement Jofsaid bolster, rf i v 4."I'n a rail truck, a truck frame having side rails, a bolster,spring assemblies supporting each endef said banter from said siderails, frictional surfaces fore and aft of each'endof said bolsterlimiting the longitudinal linoveinent of said bolster with respect tosaid'frafne,sa'id Banter when in substantially center position being"need:

pressure contact with any of said friction surfaces, said ;by. each endof said bolster is deflected against two of said Efriction surfaces witha force dependent upon the angularity iof said rockers with respect to.said side frames and the extent of the swinging movement of saidbolster.

, 5. In a rail truck, a truck frame having side rails, a bolster, springassemblies. supporting each end of said bolster from said side rails,frictional surfaces fore and aft of each end of said bolster limitingthe longitudinal r'no'veinent of said bolster with respect to saidframe, said bolster when in substantially center position being' fre'e{of pressure contact with any ofsaid friction surfaces, said bolsterwhen swinging laterally ir'nposing a force on of said bolster causessaid bolster to bias against the other two diagonally disposed frictionsurfaces.

6., In a rail truck, a truck frame having side rails, a bolster, springassemblies supporting 'each end of said bolster from said side rails,frictional surfaces fore and aft of each end of said bolster limitingthe longitudinal movement of said bolster with respect'to said frame,said bolster when in substantially center position being free ofpressure contact with any of said friction surfaces, said bolster whenswinging laterally imposing a force on said Spring assemblies, saidspring assemblies each including at least one spring having a spring capat its upper end equipped with an integral rocker in rocking engagementwith respect to said bolster, said spring caps with their rockers beingrotatably adjustable with respect to their respective springs and saidbolster whereby the angle of reaction of said springs to the forceimposed thereon by said bolster during swinging movements may beadjusted thereby adjusting the biasing imparted to said bolster by'saidsprings,

7. In a rail" truck, a truck frame having side rails, a bolster, springassemblies .supporting each end of said bolster from said side rails,frictional surfaces fore and aft of each end of said bolster limitingthe longitudinal movement of said bolster with respect to said frame,said bolster when in substantially center position being free ofpressure contact with any of said friction surfaces, said bolster whenswinging laterally imposing a force on said frictional surfaces, saidspring assemblies each including at least one spring having a spring capat its upper and lower ends, each of said spring caps being equippedwith a rocker for contact with said bolster and a side railrespectively, at least one rocker of each of said assemblies beingangularly disposed with respect to said side rails.

8. In a rail truck, a truck frame havingside rails, 11 bolster, springassemblies supporting each end of said bolsterfrom said side rails,frictional surfaces fore and aft of each end of said bolster limitingthe longitudinal movement of said bolster with respect to said frame,said bolster when in substantially center position being free ofpressure contact with any of said friction surfaces, said bolster whenswinging laterally imposing a force on said spring assemblies, saidspring assemblies each including 'at least one spring having a springcap at its upper and lower ends, each of said spring caps being equippedwith a rocker for contact with said bolster and a side railrespectively, the rockers of the same spring assembly being adjustablefor positioning in relative parallel or relative non-parallel positions.

9. In a rail truck, a truck frame having side rails, a bolster, springassemblies supporting each end of said bolster from said side rails,frictional surfaces fore and aft of eachend'of said bolster limiting thelongitudinal movement of said bolster with respect to said frame, saidbolster when in substantially center position being free of pressurecontact with any of said friction surfaces, said bolster when swinginglaterally imposing a force on said spring assemblies, said springassemblies each comprising two sets of springs at each end of saidbolster arranged in side-by-side relation, one spring of each of saidsets being mounted to rock to a greater extent than the adjacent springin the same set under swinging movements of said bolster whereby thelateral force exerted by said bolster is deflected out of a path normalto said side rails.

10. In a rail truck, a truck frame having side rails, a bolster, springassemblies supporting each end of said bolster from said side rails,frictional surfaces fore and aft of'each end of said bolster limitingthe longitudinal movement of said bolster with respect to said frame,said bolster when in substantially center position being free ofpressure contact with any of said friction surfaces, said ,bolster whenswinging laterally imposing a forceon said spring assemblies, saidspring assemblies each comprising two sets of springs arranged inside-by-side relation, one of said spring sets of each of saidassemblies comprising a spring having a spring cap, said caps eachhaving a substantially hemispherical ball integral therewithconstituting a rocker for said cap whereby said spring assembliesdeflect the bolster out of a transverse path normal to said side railsand urge said bolster against one friction pad adjacent each endthereof,'the other of said spring sets also comprising a spring having aspring cap top and bottom thereon, the last named caps each having arocker on the surface thereof opposite said springs, said rockers beingpositioned parallel to the direction of swinging motion of said bolster.

11. Bolster support means for use with a rail car'truck framecomprising, vertically extending spaced apart spring members supportedon said truck frame, a bolster, the ends of said bolster overlyingsaid'spaced apart spring members, means between said spring members andsaid bolster for translating endwise movement of the latter intosidewise movement thereof, and said means being disposed diagonally at apredetermined angle from a vertical lengthwise plane passing through therail car truck.

12. Bolster support means for use with a rail car truck framecomprising, vertically extending spaced apart spring members, horizontalplate members carried at the upper ends of each of said spring members,a bolster, the ends of said bolster overlying said plate members, blademembers between said plate members and said bolster for translatingendwise movement of the latter into sidewise movement thereof, saidblade members being disposed diagonally at a predetermined angle from avertical lengthwise plane passing through the rail car truck, andresilient block members disposed on each side of said bolster adjacenteach end thereof, said blade members causing said bolster to be urgedinto frictional engagement with the pair of said block members on theone side of said bolster as the latter moves endwise, and said blockmembers offering an increased rate of resistance to endwise movement ofsaid bolster as the force with which said bolster is urged intoengagement with said block members increases.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS416,555 Block Dec. 3, 1889 466,349 Hubbard Jan. 5, 1892 779,858 LillieJan. 10, 1905 825,255 Whitman July 3, 1906 1,057,990 Wilson Apr. 1, 19132,015,025 -Barrows Sept. 17, 1935 2,061,767 Hobson Nov. 24, 19362,094,557 Couch Sept. 28,- 1937 2,150,870 Blomberg et al. Mar. 14, 19392,406,199 Clasen Aug. 20, 1946 2,492,337 Travilla Dec. 27, 1949 FOREIGNPATENTS 629,913 Great Britain Sept. 30, 1949

